Meet Rachel Tillman — aerospace historian, educator, and founder of the Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project. From helping build the first online Mars data exhibit to championing STEAM pathways for youth, she’s proving that space exploration thrives when everyone is invited to take part.
Read her very compelling interview here:
Name and Current Role
Rachel Tillman — Executive Director, Founder, and Educator, The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project
Location
Portland, Oregon
Educational Background
Triple major (IPS program) in Biology, Japanese, and Technical Illustration. In 1984, I designed my degree to meet a need that didn’t exist at the time: communicating complex, multidisciplinary technical topics through both visuals and words. Today, this would be called Science Journalism or Technical Writing.
How did you become involved in aerospace?
I was born into it—literally. My father was working on the Voyager Mission to Mars while completing his master’s at MIT, and later at UCLA for his PhD (which he didn’t finish, partly because of me—I showed up, surprise!).
As a naturally geeky artist, I was already doing natural science illustrations and business logos in high school. Many afternoons after school, I joined my father at the University of Washington, where he worked on the Viking Meteorology Instrument. By age 8 or 10, I was fascinated by Mars, the Viking mission, and the possibility of life elsewhere.
I helped my father create the first exhibit in the world to serve data over the internet—fun Mars via Viking. I also helped him translate complex topics for general audiences, which inspired me to create my unique degree. He even saved Viking hardware from NASA scrap and bought me the flight spare Viking Lander VC3, which I still own.
Over 20 years ago, I began interviewing my father and other Viking team members, which ultimately led me to found the nonprofit.
What aspects of your current work do you find most meaningful or exciting?
Honoring and sharing the contributions of every member of the Viking mission, and preserving their stories through oral history. I love inspiring, educating, and empowering youth to see themselves in space exploration—whether in science, engineering, or the arts.
I’ve been a STEAM educator long before the term was mainstream, highlighting the importance of creativity and the arts in innovation. My current work includes research, public talks, and developing multifaceted educational programs like my MarsMaker™ series.
What advice would you give to someone just entering the field?
Explore widely outside your main interest—the industry is vast and growing. Meet people from all over the globe! The United States didn’t invent space exploration, and we aren’t the center of the universe. Try working in government, commercial, and volunteer sectors. And never listen to “that’s not possible,” whether about technical challenges or personal identity.
One fun fact:
I’m a competitive barbershop singer and a published poet!
What AIAA means to you:
AIAA is a community with the power to support new industry workers, students, and innovators, while evolving space exploration in an inclusive way. It connects people to educate, inspire, and grow future missions while honoring the past—and its potential is still untapped.